CHRIST’S LIFE OF VICTORY

“What manner of man is this!”, Matt. 8. 27. There is little doubt that Moses wrote this psalm, probably at the beginning of the wilderness journey, portraying how God gave His people shelter because He promised to do so. The relevant verses here are 11-13, and these should be carefully compared with the N.T. quotation in Matthew 4. 6. The devil quotes from Scripture, but the Lord’s reply is “It is written again”. In considering the victorious life, it is good to remember that the devil’s weakness is seen in his misuse and misquoting of Scripture. It was the scriptural phrases he omitted that were significant, not the phrases he quoted.

Three points arise about the victorious life of Christ.

Its Source, “For he shall give his angels charge over thee”, v. 1 la. Not one angel, but many, sent direct from God and on His authority. Thus overshadowing the triumphs of Christ is the authority and command of God, who is still on the throne!

Its Secret, “to keep thee in all thy ways”, v. lib. Now this is the phrase that the devil omitted. He would have found it difficult to use, because it implied obedience to the will of God. Thus the secret of Christ’s victory over Satan’s temptation lay in His obedience to the will of His Father.

Its Success, “They shall bear thee up in their hands”, vv. 12, 13, implying special love and care. “Dash thy foot against a stone” suggests stumbling and falling, difficulties and objections, perils within and perils without. “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder” is a phrase that was conveniently omitted by the devil, because it could refer to himself! He only masquerades as a lion, and the thought behind treading upon him is not as an accident but the intentional action of a conqueror. “The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet” refers to two aspects of hostility: the lion roars in open hostility and the dragon (or serpent) lurks in subtle hostility. No perils overcame Christ because His was a triumphant life.

If we would seek for a victorious life, we must be prepared to follow Him in every sense of the word.

Glory is the reward of victory.